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London's Bridges - Crossing the Royal River
by Ian Pay, Sampson Lloyd, and Keith Waldegrave
AAPPL
ISBN 9781904332909
Published May 2009 - Hardcover - 128 pages - $19.95

Having lived in London, I have walked over most of the bridges featured in this book.  Although I have to admit not recalling (old age?) some bridges.  This is a delightful book with wonderful photos of some very famous and some not-so-famous bridges on the Thames river.  Naturally, the history and time frame is incredible (read mind-boggling) when it comes to England, and it's difficult to imagine the year 52 when the first bridge was built by the Romans where London is today.  London's bridges serve a vital role today in that they carry millions of people in and out of the city every day.  Some are more functional while others are quite ornate.  Some are for vehicles, some for trains, and some for pedestrians.  All have stories and history, and this book tells it all, beautifully.  There are 33 bridges (34 listed at the back of the book) between Tower Bridge and Hampton Court, about 23 miles, with some bridges almost as they were when originally built, and others having been modified and/or rebuilt through the ages.  The book also features some of the artists who've depicted some of these bridges in their work - Monet, Turner, Constable, and Whistler among others.  This book is beautifully laid out with maps, a list of reigning monarchs through the ages, a detailed list of all the bridges, their designers, year of origin, length and width, and a description of each.
Conclusion - A bridge fanatic's dream book.  Simply stunning.